dumois
Oct 12, 2003, 1:34 PM
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Today we enjoy a huge fiesta here in Guadalajara: the Romería of Our Lady of Zapopan.
There are three images of the Virgin Mary that are very revered in this country: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (http://www.mexconnected.com/...ois/ldguadalupe.html), in Mexico City, on cerro del Tepeyac, which is the place where the 'Lady from Heaven' appeared and showed Herself to a humble Mexican Indian, San Juan Diego; Nuestra Señora de Zapopan, here in Guadalajara, and the Virgin from San Juan de los Lagos. This last city, San Juan, is inside the Mexican state of Jalisco, as is Guadalajara.
The images in Zapopan and San Juan de los Lagos are twin sisters: both were produced by the same artisan, at more or less the same time, and using the same technique: both are manufactured from maize cane and varnished and painted in great detail. They are very beautiful, the two of them.
The Virgin in Zapopan has her basilica in the county of the same name, which is now inside the urban patch of Guadalajara. A copy of this image travels from place to place along the year, to different parishes in and outside Guadalajara. Today, October 12th, the little Virgin 'comes back' to her home basilica. Then one of the largest Romerías in Mexico takes place: close to two million people join this year the procession of Our Lady to her basilica. Yes, that is correct: two million persons.
They put the image of the Virgin on top of a wheeled platform. She comes neatly dressed in Her traveling garments, with sombrerito for the sun and eveything. A group of twenty to thirty people pull Her carriage from the Catheral in downtown Guadalajara, up to the basilica in Zapopan. The action begins with a mass in the Cathedral, six o'clock in the morning. Then everybody starts the long march that culminates with Her arrival in Zapopan, close to five hours later. The enormous crowd walks after the Virgin, singing, dancing and praying.
There are danzantes, that is, persons dressed like ancient Mexican Indians and dancing, from the night before, for the Virgin. These dancers, men and women from the most varied origins and social extractions, pay for their own garments and rehearse many hours along the year with their companions, in order to offer a good performance on the great day. There is a street market; food of a thousand colors and flavors, traditional toys, clothing, artesanías, candies, bread and a million things more to buy and sell. People from many places come to this fiesta, not just from Jalisco. It is a big party, with lots of people and colorful movement.
My house is located in Zapopan, seven to eight blocks from the basilica of Our Lady. I will not be able to go out today: the streets around us are closed and no car may pass. We are like in a besieged city.
On foot there are possibilities, though. This morning we walked a few blocks to the street where the procession takes place, to wait for the Virgin to arrive. This is a wide avenue, with three lanes each side and sidewalks, that goes down in a straight line from up here in Zapopan to the Cathedral in downtown Guadalajara. The view is quite imppressive: people makes the horizon. The human tide covers every available space from where we are, all the way down.
At last She arrives: beautiful in Her traveling robes, looking at us from up there in her carriage pulled up by ropes and a lot of people. In this moment I pray to Her for all of us; for my Mexico, so far away from God; for our world in war and bitterly divided. She passes and we find ourselves immersed in the crowd. We excitedly walk back home, filled with sun and humanity. We are very happy because we were able to see Her come back, yet another year.
Happy Día de la Raza and happy Peregrinación of Our Lady of Zapopan,
Dumois
(This post was edited by dumois on Oct 12, 2003, 3:06 PM)
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